Person:Maxwell Rittgers (1)

He is on the 1880 census with parents, Valley Twp., Polk Co., Ia.(p 545, fam #213/218 ) Rebecca immigrated with parents, 1880. On 1880 census, age 11, with parents in Grimes, Polk Co., Ia. (ED 175, p 588C, fam 252/252) She continues with her parents on the 1885 Iowa State census , age 14.(Fam #125/127) Agnes is 28 with her parents in Webster Twp. on the 1895 Iowa State census. (fam #59) A story submitted by descendant Mary Esther Rittgers tells us that Rebecca died of a heart condition caused by rheumatic fever. We are told that son Thomas always felt that he caused her untimely death, as she was running down stairs to see what he was up to when she fell down the stairs. She died soon after that. Apparently the family lived in Oklahoma or Texas at the time, and brought her body back by train to be buried next to her parents in sec. C, lot 27, row 5, McDivitt Cemetery, Polk Co., Ia.

   On the 1900 census, son Thomas, called "Park S." on census, age 4, is with his maternal grandparents, Thomas and Jane (Fryar) Wilson in Grimes, Webster Twp., Polk Co., Ia.  Max, age 27 and a farmer, is in Beaver Twp., Dallas Co., Ia., a boarder with William Ogden.(ED 4, p 7B , fam 135/137) Effie was sthe daughter of F.M. and Mary (Dickey) Helms.   In 1907, we see Max and "Effie his wife" deeding over his "right, title, and interests in the estate of Reuben R. Rittgers, including the west 40 acres...." to his mother , Abigail, for $600. In 1913 Max W. Rittgers and Effie Rittgers "Releases the mortgage..." (ABST. 76811, p34)  It is probable that Effie was deceased at this time, as we see son Forest in the home of his uncle, John Rittgers(#162.D).
    There is a picture shared with this author showing a small wood house with "wrap-around " porch.  It sits in a very open area, with one other house seen far in the background.  A man in bib overalls has a saw in his hand and appears to be talking to a lady in an ankle length dress.  To one side is a lad in his early teens, swinging a hatchet.  It appears that the small plot the house is on is fenced in with barbed wire strung on crude fence posts.  It is labeled "Dad, Me, and Forest's mother, Effie, Lyford, Texas."   On 1920 census, age 46, Max states he is "commercial traveler, Medicine" With him are wife, Katheryn, 59, and son Forest (by Effie), age 17, residing in Boone Co. City, Greene Co., Ia.(ED 12, p 1A, fam #5/5)  In the family, there are photos of Max posing beside his truck.  He is called the "Watkins Man" for the products he sold.  The truck lettering reads "Red Ball Products."  Another picture shows Max in front of one that has the word "Remedies" visible.
    On 1 Dec 1923, Max signs an "Assignment of Interest" to "Kate Johnston Rittgers, wife of grantor" in consideration of the sum of $800 in hand paid, and this assignment is to cover both real and personal property coming to me from said estates [of Reuben and Abigail] "being now unsettled and undivided" This filed at Boone Co., Ia.  Filed June 19, 1935, is an entry where Max and "Kate Johnston Rittgers, his wife" convey to Jasper Rittgers all right, title and interest in the undivided share of the estate of R.R. Rittgers, now being probated.  This deed was refiled 26 may 1939.  Because of the way Max had put the estate business in Kate's name, we see her name on the tax searches to clear the title that were done in 1938.(Abst 76811 ) In a transcript of Boone Co. Co. Poll tax, done by the Boone Co., Ia., Hist. Soc., and a copy located in the Iowa Historical Library, Des Moines, on p. 550 we see an entry for "Rittgers, M .W., Res. 1915 Story [St. or Ave.] Boone. We are told he put all his property in Kate's hands following a serious traffic accident where another person died. This would keep him from losing everything if he was sued. It backfired! We are told that at Kate's death, she left everything to her family, leaving Max penniless!  Max spent his late years living with his sons and "visiting" his sisters and brothers.  A picture in the family of Vivian (Rittgers) Rorabaugh (#162.A) shows she and Max in her yard in Clermont, Lake Co., Fla. Judging from their apparent ages, it was probably taken in abt. 1940-42. In his obituary, we find he was "a deeply religious man, having united with the Ridgeland Presbyterian Church in 1889...a member of the board of Deacons of Baptist Church, Boone.."[in Boone Co., Ia.] There were several glaring errors in the obituary.

1. ↑ ED 172, p. 545, fam #213/218
   Rittgers, Reuben, 42, head, farmer, b Oh to father b Va, mother b Oh
   Abigail, 36, wife, b Pa to par b Pa
   Ambrose, 14, son, b Ia
   Daisie, 9, dau, b Ia
   Max, 7, son, b Ia
   Findley, 6, son, b Ia
   Jasper, 4, son, b Ia
   Walberg, 2, son, paralized (Dr. Carter) b Ia
2. ↑ ED 4, p. 7B, fam #135//137
   Rittgers, Max, b Jan 1873, 27, widower, b Ia to par b Oh, farmer on rented farm
   (shown as boarder with William Ogden)
3. ↑ ED 12, p. 1A, fam #5/5 1915 Story St.
   Rittgres, Max W., head, 46, b Ia to father b Oh, mother b Pa, commercial traveler -
   medicine
   Kathryn E., wife, 59, b Ia to father b Oh, mother b Pa
   Forest S., son, 17, b Okla